TSA Watchlists Under Biden: Targeting Americans for Mask Resistance and Jan 6 Protests

Misuse of No-Fly Lists for Mask Mandate Resistance

• 🎯 19 Americans were placed on TSA watchlists, with over half on no-fly lists, for resisting mask mandates under Biden's TSA Chief David Pekoske.
• ⚠️ This action was part of "Operation Freedom to Breathe," launched in September 2021, long after CDC relaxed indoor masking rules.
• ✈️ Being barred from flying is a life-altering consequence that should only be applied in extreme cases, not for bucking COVID-19 mandates.

Targeting Jan 6 Protesters and Questionable Intelligence

• 🚨 An additional 280 people were placed on watchlists, and five on no-fly lists, for alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 protests.
• 🎖️ One no-fly designation mistakenly targeted a National Guardsman deployed for Biden's inauguration who was not at the Capitol during the riot.
• 🧠 The basis for these designations was described as "half-baked intelligence."

Systemic Issues and Civil Liberties Concerns

• 📧 The TSA reportedly ignored warnings from its own chief privacy officer about punishing people for expressing ideas without charges or convictions.
• 🕵️ TSA watchlists and surveillance programs are susceptible to abuse due to a lack of transparency and accountability.
• 🚶 Americans are often not notified when added to watchlists, having to discover it through repeated extra screenings at airports.
• ⚖️ A 2023 Senate report found that travelers may be screened for at least 22 reasons, potentially violating civil liberties.
• 🚫 The secretive nature of watchlisting decisions hinders oversight from civilians and Congress.

"Quiet Skies" Surveillance Program

• 💨 The "Quiet Skies" program, which ran for 15 years, profiled travelers for reasons as trivial as bad body odor or loitering.
• 👤 Participants could find TSA Air Marshals on their flights or following them through the airport.
• 🔒 The Biden administration's ability to easily target Americans highlights a lack of accountability and few guardrails in TSA traveler monitoring.
• 🔁 The potential for political weaponization of the TSA suggests such abuses could recur if systemic issues are not addressed.